Loyalties
by TraceAce
Summary: Chris Jericho suddenly wonders if his newer friends are going to screw him over like everyone else has..


"Damn." Chris Jericho wearily looked up at the lights, sprawled out in the ring. The refs already gathered around his hurt body. Pushing them away grumpily, he pulled himself up into a sitting position then got up, pushing past the refs, actually pushing one over. So that's why people say they refs were push-overs.  
  
Chris WOULD have thought that, being he loved making jokes, but at that point he wasn't in such a great mood. Getting put in a submission move by Dean Malenko and being headbutt during that move by Benoit just didn't make him very happy. Ignoring the pain, he stalked up the ramp to the back.  
  
Why had he decided to mess with them again? Looking up, he saw Jeff and Matt running to his side, though he brushed them away. Yeah, that was the reason. God damn him and his loyal attitude. He should have kept up that 'I want no friends' attitude. He lost that when he was with Chyna. God knows how she got him to finally change.  
  
"Man, we had no clue what happened!" Matt said, catching up with him. "One minute I was helping Jeff and the next I get word they ambushed you!"  
  
"It's alright." Chris sighed, before walking away from the brothers.  
  
"What's up with him? No beating has ever gotten him down that bad." Jeff whispered, watching his friend's retreating form as Matt walked back to him.  
  
"Got me. We better just leave him alone." Matt replied, shaking his head.  
  
"I guess so.."  
  
***  
  
Loyalties. He thought of that word, then slammed his fist down on the table near his chair in his locker room, actually making a crack in the wood. He always let himself become loyal, and that's how he always got hurt. Benoit..his best friend. He's known him forever..he always trusted him. Look where that got him..100 crossfaces and headbutts later..  
  
Chyna..now, he really felt she wouldn't be bad enough to screw him over. He couldn't help but like her, as sad as that was. She had the same spunk he had..the same quest for great things. What had started out as more of a punishment by the, ahem, lovely Stephanie McMahon, became one of the best months he had had since he came to the federation. Then she decided to go with that little latino punk, ultimately making him lose a title.  
  
He was mad, of course. Then he realized he still didn't want to hurt her even after she did what she did, so he respectfully let it happen. He didn't want to, he knew how Eddie was, but he had no right to tell her what to do. He was back to singles, again. He was actually right though, about Eddie of course, and was sad to see Chyna have her heart broken. Now she was really hurt, and he, though a bit shyly, asked Billy to give her his best wishes.  
  
That's the kind of guy he was. Well, actually, there was only one person he wasn't like that to, and that was Benoit. He had, again, known the guy forever, but something about him always brought out the agressive side of him. Perhaps it was the brotherly connection..though it was not well seen..let out the competitive side. Perhaps it was the fact they were incredibly similar in wrestling technique with the small differences of submissions and aerial moves, that made them fight so roughly. Hell, it could be because Benoit knew him so well..a bit too well..he didn't need to study his moves, he already knew them.  
  
Not that Chris didn't know Benoit's moves, though. Yes, whatever it was..it always got in the way of the two to work together. Chris himself knew how amazing they would be together..unstoppable, perhaps. They complimented each other perfectly..what Benoit lacked, Chris had and vice versa. He didn't see it happening very soon, however.  
  
Chris had already figured out why he was mad, he always managed to figure it out after thinking. All his life he had been shunned and stepped on..all his friends ended up turning their backs on him..that was why he had a cynical air as he entered the federation, deciding that that was that..no more friends. No more allies. He would fight his own fights.   
  
"Kane, we're more like each other then you imagine." he said outloud to himself, amused.  
  
Yeah, he hadn't done so well in not making friends. Now he had three currently, and he had never been so scared in his life. Odd, yes. Unreasonable..? No. He loved all three of them..especially Lita. Caring with a bit of an attitude Chris knew all too well inside himself, she always was the first to understand him. He always knew she thought almost exactly like him, and she sure as hell had the independent nature he always had.  
  
He grinned, thinking about her. The most important time they crossed paths was when he was battling Benoit, as always. He sort of figured she be dead weight, like almost every girl her size was. She grinned as she had neared him, and he just nodded.  
  
"If you think I won't be help, you've got another thing coming Chris." she smiled, almost mischievously. He still loved that look to this day.  
  
She sure showed him. Sure, after Lita laid Benoit out and Trish was gone too, he himself still got his ass kicked, but this was beside the point. No female had the strenght, the speed even, to get Benoit down..nevermind actually dazed. He was a might proud of her, and he grinned at her as they raised each other's hands.  
  
That was the start of their friendship. Though that wasn't their first time meeting, it had sparked a friendship between them. After waking up after Benoit smashed him up, he had already found Lita waiting for him. Yeah, he still remembered that. He didn't remember anyone ever doing that for him. The Hardyz were with her, and at that point the four of them found a common ground with each other.  
Turning his attention to the TV, he stared at Lita working it at WWF NY. He smiled for one of the first times of the night.  
  
"Do your thing, girl." he chuckled, shaking his head. Then he saw Dean watching her, and he had to swallow his anger. The jerk just didn't get it, did he?  
  
There went his automatic protective system. He really had to stop doing that. Sighing again, he quietly wondered if he should go back to not having friends. He left the arena by himself, not waiting for anyone else like he usually did.  
  
***  
  
It was the next morning where he was surprised to find Lita at his door. Very surprised. Without thinking, he had stumbled to the door with not too much on. To be a bit more specific, he was only wearing his boxers, and he realized a bit more late.  
  
"Tough night?" she asked, humored. Smart ass, as always.  
  
"I'm not in a great mood, Lita.." he mumbled, almost incomprehensible. He was still half asleep, after all.  
  
"I heard. I'm gone for one day and you fall in to a pit of depression? I didn't know you liked me that much." she teased, though she noticed he didn't laugh or quip back. Very unusual. "Ouch, you really are out of it...mind if I come in?" Without him answering, she let herself in, pushing him in with her. She closed the door behind her. "OK, it's time to tell Little Lita what's on your mind."  
  
"Lita.."  
  
"Don't give me that, Chris." she said. "You don't put up with it when I do that either."  
  
"Lita.."  
  
"That's number two. I'm not going to disappear if you say my name three times, though..sorry, Chri--" She suddenly was wrapped into most likely the biggest hug she ever recieved. "Can't..breath.."  
  
"Don't change, Lita!" he said suddenly, holding her at arm distance. "Because if you do, I won't ever trust anyone again."  
  
"Wha..?" she blinked, confused, but saw the serious look on his tired face. She understood as their eyes met. "Oh Chris..you..you think we're going to leave you, don't you?" He looked down, almost embarrassed. "I know you've been hurt..a lot. Doesn't mean we'll hurt you, too. You're like my brother, Chris..and even if we do fight one day, I know we'll always end up being friends in the end."  
  
"I guess so.." he said, unsure.  
  
"It's us 4..Me, you, and Jeff and Matt..we'll always back each other up, alright?" she smiled. "Now come on, Chrissy..where's that usual spirit I love so much in you?"  
  
"Thanks, Lita." He gave her one of his grins.  
  
"Not a problem, Blondie. We're going to get food, wanna come? With clothing, of course."  
  
"I'll think about it." he nodded, and she waved and left.  
  
He stood, staring at the door, before quickly getting dressed. He opened the door, quick to follow her, realizing that even if he was screwed over a billion times, it would never equal up to how screwed he be if he lost his trust and his loyal spirit.  



End file.
